International Spinach Conference to follow Victorian Vegetable Innovation Days

Following on from their award-winning success delivering field day events, EGVID, comprised of Stuart Grigg and Andrew Bulmer, will be facilitating the conference and associated events, supported by Food & Fibre Gippsland's Bonnie Dawson and Ausveg.

The conference program will be curated and led by Distinguished Professor Jim Correll (University of Arkansas) and Professor Lindsey du Toit (Washington State University), who have previously hosted such industry events in Europe, USA, and China.

Mr Correll said spinach continues to be a very popular leafy green globally and the spinach stakeholders are delighted to be able to host this year's International Spinach Conference in conjunction with their Australian colleagues.

AUSTRALIA punches well above its weight in the field of spinach production with per capita consumption greater than that of the USA.

Up until this year, the leaders of the Spinach industry have had to travel overseas, most often to Europe, to access emerging research and industry insights, yet Australia's spinach seed use is fourth globally, mostly grown in either Victoria or Queensland making Melbourne an ideal location to bring the best in the industry together.

The conference is being held at RMIT University, Melbourne CBD on Monday, May 1, with a full day of presentations from some of the world's leading spinach researchers, breeders, producers, and supply chain influencers.

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After the presentations, participants will be welcomed aboard one of Melbourne's floating river cruises for two hours of networking, appetisers, and drinks.

On Tuesday, May 2, delegates are invited to join a field tour of the Bacchus Marsh growing region where baby leaf spinach is produced year-round.

Fields of manicured variety trials will be the focus of the day as participants walk through variety and production trials.

CONVENIENTLY, the week preceding the International Spinach Conference will see the Victorian Vegetable Innovation Days (VicVID23) happening at Butler Market Garden's Catani farm.

VicVID23 is being delivered by Stuart Grigg Ag-Hort Consulting and Ausveg Vic, and supported by Victoria's two VegNET delivery partners Ausveg and Food & Fibre Gippsland.

The event is also receiving financial support from Hort Innovation, Agriculture Victoria and major sponsor Elders Limited.

The team is bringing together a dynamic program of exhibitors and activities across the two days, with more than 40 companies participating from across the supply chain including field trials from the 10 major seed companies and eight agricultural chemical/fertiliser companies.

DEMONSTRATING the importance of the event as an opportunity to show off innovations to the industry, both Corteva Agriscience and Syngenta Australia have come on board as platinum sponsors.

"Corteva Agriscience is proud to partner with VicVID as a platinum sponsor," said Corteva Agriscience horticulture marketing manager Nick Koch.

"Our business thrives on innovation and developing new technologies for Australian vegetable growers has been a strategic focus for us in recent years.

"Verpixo fungicide containing Adavelt Active is one such example. Adavelt is a naturally inspired solution that offers growers a novel 'mode of action' for managing challenging ascomycete fungal diseases such as botrytis, powdery mildew, sclerotinia, alternaria and many other damaging diseases across a wide range of crops.

"We're invested in helping growers optimise productivity and we're excited to showcase Verpixo fungicide and many other technologies at VicVID 2023."

Syngenta has also come on board as a platinum sponsor.

From breeding new vegetable seed varieties that perform better in Australian conditions, to developing breakthrough insecticides, fungicides and herbicides that preserve the marketable yield of crops, Syngenta is a science-based, global leader in ag-tech.

Syngenta supports the vibrant industry as it works toward better yields and quality produce, at every step.

The Syngenta plots will feature new innovations Miravis Prime fungicide for control of sclerotinia in lettuce, as well as Simodis insecticide for control of diamondback moth and cabbage white butterfly, across several brassica cultivars.

Syngenta is excited to bring Simodis insecticide to market in Victoria, for advisors and growers to see the benefits first hand.

WHILE the VicVID field days are unticketed for growers, those wanting to attend the Elders Industry Networking Dinner should keep their eyes on social media for a link to registrations in the coming weeks.

Registrations for the International Spinach Conference will also be open from mid-February, with all details listed on the Spinach Portal: https://spinach.uark.edu/.

For further information, please contact Bonnie Dawson 0407 683 938 or jump onto the event's Facebook page: facebook.com/VicVID23

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